Customer Service Chronicle

Give 'Em The Pickle!

 Pickles are those special extra things you do to make people happy.  It’s a special phone call you make to your customer or a handwritten thank you noteThat you include with every order.  It is taking the time to walk the customer

down the isle to find the item that they are looking for rather than pointing them in specific direction to the back of the store.  It is offering them a special promotional item or even just calling them by their name.   It is the art of finding out what your customers want and making sure they get it.

The Pickle Philosophy is the brainchild of Bob Farrell of Farrell Ice Cream Parlour fame.   He was a pioneer in the resteraunt industry, having created one of the first national full service chain resteraunts opening and managing over 150 locations before selling the chain to Marriott.  It is Farrell’s belief that businesses are in the “people business” and that it is not what you sell that is important, it is how you take care of the people who buy your product.  It is about figuring out what would make your customers happy and giving it to them.  That’s the pickle.

It all started with a letter:

“Dear Mr. Farrell,

I’ve been coming to your restaurant for over three years.  I always order a #2 hamburger and a chocloate shake.  I always ask for an extra pickle and I always get one.  Mind you, this has been going on once or twice a week for three years. I came into your restaurant the other day and I order my usual.  I asked the young waitress for an extra pickle.  I believe she was new because I hadn’t seen her before.  She said, “Sir, I will sell you a side of pickles for $ 1.25.” I told her, “No, I just want the extra slice of pickle.  I always ask for it and they always give it to me.  Go ask your manager.”

She went away and came back after speaking to to the manager.  The waitress looked me in the eye and said, “I’ll sell you a pickle for a nickle.”  Mr. Farrel, I told her what to do with her pickle, hamburger and milkshake.  I’m not coming back to your restaurant if that’s the way you’re going to run it.

The customer

Mr. Farrell was successful at responding to the customer, apologizing and asking him to come back and has taken this letter to create the war cry “Give ‘em the Pickle” so when something happens with a customer and you are not sure what to do?  Give them the pickle.  Do what you have to do to make things right.

This story applies to all businesses that  want to put in strategies to keep the customers coming back.  Focusing on providing excellent customer service at every touchpoint and building an organization whose employees are trained, motivated and informed  about the company’s approach to customers will exceed the customers expectations with each and evey opporutnity.  So create an enviroment for your employees to excel at customer service by following the pickle philsophy:

·         Service:  Make serving others the number one priority of your business.

·         Attitude:  Choice a service-oriented attitude.  How you think of your customers is how you will treat them.

·         Consistency:  Set high service standards and live them every day.  Customers return because they had a positive expierence last time.

·         Teamwork:  Commit to teamwork.  Find ways to make each other look good.  In the end, everything ends up in front of the customer.

When you are in doubt on how you should handle a customer, remember “Give ‘em the Pickle”! 

©Kellie D’Andrea & Associates

Want to use this article in your newsletter or web site?

You can, just include this complete blurb with it: Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST system and publishes "The Marketing Edge" a FREE award winning ezine for small business owners who want to gain the competitive edge with strategic marketing and branding techniques that actually work. Find out the 23 Common Mistakes Most Entrepreneurs make with a FREE report offered at www.kelliedandrea.com.

 

Customer Service Review: Houlihans

One of our favorite weekend treats is to stop at Houlihans for lunch on our way to the mall.  Dan and I have been conducting this ritual for many years.  I love their flatbread pizzas and they make the best Baybreeze on the east coast and Dan usually craves for thier chicken fingers with their special dipping sauce. 

This time, we were greeted in the same casual but friendly way and then escorted to our tables.  Our hostess confessed that she was also the one who will be waiting on us and came back shortly to take our orders.

They were offering a few specials and Dan being a tuna lover, ordered a salad with ahi tuna.  Before he did, he stressed to the waitress that he wanted to make sure that it was fresh - meaning purchased that same day because if it wasn't, he didn't want to risk it.  She checked with the kitchen and came back to the table with a "YES"

Sure enough,his meal comes and he takes one bite and spits the tuna back into his napkin.  Something he never does.  Knowing how I am, he immediately glanced at me and said "Don't say anything".

How about you... what would you do?  Why do we always "not say anything".  Is it that we have been raised to be polite and not eating a prepared meal would be considered rude?  or perhaps it is just easier to not eat and pay for it rather than deal with the process of issuing a complaint?

I don't think it is fair for a consumer to have to pay for something that they specifically requested and the restaurant made the mistake, they lied.  Having my own retail location serving the public, I am almost confident that there was no manager on staff during out lunch and the kitchen took the easy way out.

Although Dan couldn't say anything, when the waitress came back to the table and noticed that his dish wasn't touched and we were sharing my plate so he could have something to eat, she should have cared enough to ask the question "was something wrong". 

When she didn't, I couldn't help myself and handed her the dish and told her that her fish is bad and she should let the kitchen know.  She said "Sorry" and handed us our full check.

They charged us for the two meals and didn't offer us anything more than a "sorry".

Unfortunately it wasn't enough.

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know!

In business, you often hear the statement “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!”  In the early 1900’s, Napoleon Hill introduced the concept of a mastermind group in his timeless classic “Think and Grow Rich.”  He wrote the Mastermind Principle: “the coordination of knowledge and the effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.”  Hill also wrote, “No two minds come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind.”  The powerful result of a mastermind group is that there is a synergy of energy and excitement that partipants bring to the group therefore raising the bar by challenging and encouraging other members  to create and implement their goals.   Being part of a mastermind group has proven to have many benefits to enterprenaurial success:

 

·         Idea Sharing, Creativity and Brainstorming

Information is one of the most powerful assets a person can posses and having the ability to leverage other people’s information is exponentially better.  Each group member will come with different experiences, perspectives and ideas that will most likely be your next big money making idea.  Having the ability to brainstorm and be creative with a group of people all focused on helping you solve a problem is one of the biggest benefits you will experience from a mastermind group.

 

·         Accountability and Responsibility

Most goals are not achieved because as business owners, we are not held accountable to anyone to achieve them.  It is our business and we want to procrastinate or put task on the backburner because of other operational issues we deal with, which is our prerogative, right?  The second biggest benefit of a mastermind group is that they hold you accountable to reach your goals and monitor your actions to ensure you are on the right path.  They act as sounding boards, gatekeepers and test groups all the while asking you where you stand with your plan.

 

·         Motivational Support

Staying positive and motivated is a big challenge for some business owners especially after the excitement of starting a business has worn off and the business becomes work.  Businesses have many different sides to it and not everything runs smoothly all the time.  This can be very frustrating and cause many entrepreneurs to become unmotivated.  By surrounding yourself with a mastermind group, you will receive positive encouragement no matter how you perform and the active discussions you will participate in will most likely inspire and stimulate you to move forward.

 

·         Networking and Business Relationships

A big part of being  in a mastermind group is developing solid relationships with your group members.  These relationships have been proven to last a lifetime and be the catalyst for millions of dollars.  You will form friendships and connections that will provide you more than just business benefits; it will provide you with a sense of belonging and being part of something special.

 

·         Additional Resources

In a year where time is money, having access to additional resources is critical to any business owner’s success.  By connecting with peers in your mastermind group, you will be provided with access to the resources that others in your group are using to achieve similar results. This will reduce the time required to find alternative solutions as well as the learning curve usually associated with implementing new solutions.  Not to mention, you will save time  working within a group versus trying to figure something out on your own.

 

 

©Kellie D’Andrea & Associates

Want to use this article in your newsletter or web site?

You can, just include this complete blurb with it: Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST system and publishes "The Marketing Edge" a FREE award winning ezine for small business owners who want to gain the competitive edge with strategic marketing and branding techniques that actually work. Find out the 23 Common Mistakes Most Entrepreneurs make with a FREE report offered at www.kelliedandrea.com.

The Impact of Saying Thank You

I recently wrote about a recent mishap I had when I sprained my ankle and tore a ligament in my foot. It was St. Patty's Day, so we were certain it was going to be a busy night in the emergency room. Sometimes Irish tempers and alcohol do not mix. To my surprise, the emergency room wasn't as busy as I thought, but it was busy enough. I was extremely upset and pushing through a lot of pain as I waited in the emergency room to be seen by a doctor at my local hospital. There was a wait and tempers around me were beginning to rise. I witness many people verbally attacking the receptionist in the ER and just basically being rude.

 

When it was my turn, I hobbled over and they quickly came to my aid with a wheel chair, ice and a smile. The receptionist turned to me and said two simple words "thank you". It was so surreal. Here they were helping me and I was the one being thanked.... I was touched. That simple gesture was so powerful and absolutely made me feel like I was appreciated.

 

How often do we take the time, in any situation, both good and bad, to say Thank you to our customers? How about our employees? What would their reaction be when they hear those two simple words?

 

In today's fast pace business climate, keeping up with basic manners almost seem impossible but taking the time to say "Thank You" to your customers can give you a competitive edge. With our economy in such turmoil these days, how about reaching out to your customers to say thank you for your business, we are here with you to the end. I recently had a client do this and the reaction from his clients was unbelievable - not to mention the retained business.

 

Simple tasks you can take to thank your clients:

 

·         Simply say thank you. "Thank you for calling", "Thank you for waiting", "Thank you for doing business with us" or just "thanks"

 

·         Send an email or even better a hand written note.

 

·         Throw a client appreciation day and offer discounts, increased services or just a luncheon or party.

 

·         Send a thank you gift, something small but memorable. The more personalized you can make it versus the same gift for every customer.

 

·         Send a unique piece of literature, a poem or an article that you think would touch your customers.

 

·         Donate to a charity in your customer's name.

 

Gratitude is such a simple way to build your business and stand by your brand. Be the company that cares about its clients and take a moment to say Thank You to your customers and let them know how much you appreciate them. to all, will have a bigger impact.

 

Are you delivering the value customer most want?

 In today’s world, many business owners, CEOs and managers are concerned about losing customers and in today’s economy, who can afford to lose any customers.  In addition, the economic pressures are forcing the customers to actively look for ways to reduce expenses and to save money.  As a result, business are desperately scrambling to develop clever campaigns, promotions and giveaways in hopes to either attract more clients or at a minimum, keep the clients that they already have.

But while these special promotions can generate a temporary interest, there is one proven method that will guarantee you to keep your customers coming back again and again… its called value.

Bringing value to your customerconsistently with each interaction will make all the difference and sometimes the best defense is a strong offense.  Some easy tips:

1)      Be able to truly define your differentiation and then evaluate your operational strategies and confirm that you are adding value and supporting that proposition.

 

2)     Educate your staff on how to communicate with your customers.  Train them on what you expect in terms of frequency, tone, responsiveness and encourage them to go the extra mile.  Strong customer service is no longer a value add, it is a minimum expectation of performance.

 

3)     Re-evaluate your offering and make adjustments if necessary.  If you are in the restaurant business, evaluate your menu items, if you are in the service business, evaluate your customer requirements such as invoice or administrative process.

 

4)     Take a look at offering training or education as additional value you can offer your customers.  Put together a training document educating them on the importance of your product, a new technique or best practices.

 

5)     Determine your signature item and deliver on it every time.  Every business has a signature item, that one thing that sets them apart, this is the time for you to capitalize on that item.

The final thing you can do to really find out if you are delivering the the value that your customers want most, is to ask your customers what you can do more of.

The Key to Turning Strangers into Customers - a Blog Review

With my twitter obsession, I am connected to great resources and passionate people.  One of my connections is to the Guerrilla Marketing Coach and he sent out a post (or in twitterland) a "tweet" on Turning Strangers into Customers and do you want to know what the morale of the story is....  Connect with people on a human level, build relationships and don't sell!

In his blog post "The Key to Turning Strangers into Customers", he gives some great stats on why customers leave:

15% leave because of quality issues

15% leave because they found a better price

70% leave because they didn't like the human side of doing business - Customer Service

I would recommend checking his site out, it is informative and light... have fun!

Making a Difference With Your Customers

It’s no secret that we are in a very competitive market with heavy competition seeking to gain additional market share.  Companies are deploying various tactics to get in front of your customers and wooing them away.  Those who are using the same “business as usual” methods are at risk of losing their loyal customer base.   In today’s market many business owners are asking what to do next.  It is simple. Put yourself in shoes of the customer and use these tips for making a difference with your customers.

1.       Your customer is facing the same economic pressures – re-evaluate your pricing model and see if there is any room to offer some discounts or additional value.  Even 1% will make a difference and show that you understand the turmoil they are in.  If you can’t offer a discount in pricing, evaluate if there is an additional service or product that you can offer at no charge.  Look at the process and see if there is something you can provide to streamline the entire approach to help your customer become more efficient.

2.      Your customer has been giving more responsibility with a reduction in departmental staff.  – You hear it on the news every day, unemployment is at an all time high and 10% of the workforce is unemployed.  Most likely, your client has been impacted and has reduced staff doing the workload of many.  Be sensitive to this factor and see how you can take off some of the burden.  Perhaps there is an administrative process you can take over on their behalf or a function that complements both business models.  Now is the time to look how you both can be more efficient and coming together to work on a solution will build your relationship.

3.      Your customer is being bombarded with calls from your competitors. – Competition is at an aggressive place.  Everyone is looking to supplement their losses and are willing to offer anything to stay afloat.  In times of weakness, some offers may appear attractive to your customers – remember they are under a lot of pressure.  Don’t give your customers a reason to talk to the completion.  If you are doing a great job, have strong customer service and are going over and above the call of duty, your customers will not want to go over to the competition.  Transitioning business is a difficult tasks and requires focus, time and resources and your customers don’t have that luxury so it is easier to continue to do business with you rather than make a change.  So don’t give them a reason to want to change right now and continue to over deliver – you will have a customer for life.  

4.      Your customers want to know what is going on.  Stay in touch often and over communicate with your customers.  Give them a friendly ear to vent and a partner to offer solutions.  Remind them why you are in business together by living up to your end of the agreement and continue to demonstrate your commitment by using these tips.  They will begin to feel as though they are losing control or dropping the ball because they are so busy, help them keep that control and keep them updated at all times.  Contact them even if you don’t have an answer, just to let them know you are working on their project.  Create a report for your customers that provide them with updates and send it to them on a regular frequency.  Your customer may never say it, but they will greatly appreciate it.

Now is the time for Client and Service Provider to come together to weather the storm.  We are all navigating changing winds and need to work together to build solid and profound business relationships that transcends space and time.  By putting yourselves in the shoes of your customers and making changes to support the times, you will be building solid partnerships and creating customer loyalty.

Hertz Rent a Car - San Diego Airport : Review

Wow, what an experience.  After a few days of hectic travel from one coast to the other, I was on the last leg of my trip heading from San Diego to Denver - always with a few minutes to spare...  I am traveling with a colleague and after rushing to the airport, were very pleased to finally have a few minutes to unwind, even if on the Hertz bus to the terminal.   We just experienced a few successful client meetings and were feeling really good and engaged in deep conversation about the next steps.

Well, we must have been so deep in our conversation, we didn't hear the announcement for the airlines flying out of the first terminal stop... so when we noticed the driver walking back towards where we were sitting, we politely asked "is this for United".  Apparently, the wrong question to ask this driver!  He scowled at me and my colleague, abruptly turned around, sat in his driver seat and made the announcement again very forcefully.  He dropped his microphone and began to walk back towards us again shaking his head and mumbling under his breath.  It happened so fast and it was so out of context, we actually thought he was making a joke and being funny.  We we and the rest of the passengers finally realized that the driver was really mad, we all exchanged glances as to say to each other - Isn't this is job?

I understand having a bad day and how those pesky customers can get in the way but the front lines  are the link to a companies bottom line and they must always be "on".  This one little act, has resulted in me discussing what happened with a number of other passengers all within earshot of others and I will continue to tell the story because it is so unbelievable.

Customer service review:  Poor!

Meeting Customer's Expectation

How often do we misinterpret what the customer wants or is expecting?  How often does communication breakdown and you deliver the wrong results?  Most times it comes down to communication and leaving when each parties has a "meeting of the minds".

Good Customer Service is About Bringing Customers Back...

Excellent customer service is the lifeblood of any business and a very critical piece to success when facing a bad economy and many competitors.   You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won’t be profitable for long.  Good customer service is all about bringing customers back.  And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.  Below are the eight rules for Excellent Customer Service:

 

1. Answer your phone
2. Don’t make promises unless you WILL keep them
3. Listen to your customers
4. Deal with complaints
5. Be helpful – even if there’s no immediate profit in it
6. Train your staff to be ALWAYS helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable
7. Take the extra step
8. Throw in something extra